In automation systems for manufacturing or process technology with “classic” wiring of field devices, for example measurement converters and/or control elements, in which the field devices are connected in each case via a 4-wire master cable and subdistributors by a separate pair of wires to a programmable logic controller, the failure of one of the field devices or of a transmission link to this field device has no effect on the function of a field device since the individual field devices are operated physically separated from one another.